The American Beagler Forum

Just wandering what you use as a measure of success?
Number of rabbits jumped.
Number of rabbits killed.
Length of time that the dogs run on a rabbit.
Good dog work.
Combination of all the above.
Personally I value the dog work and good running as well as the time spent afield with my dogs and friends. I don't care about killing rabbits. I'll kill one or two for a young dog but that's about it.
Another question for you guys is how many of you jump shoot rabbits. That's one thing that we don't do! It is dangerous for the dogs and I feel that it robs them of the opportunity to run! Just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions.
Thanks for taking time to read this and please respond, as I value other's thoughts on these subjects.

I personally like good dog work,hunt,jump,and running.Had exceptional hunt last Saturday never killed a rabbit,but dogs did well best part was a 3 generation hunt dad 87 years old went with me and my son Jon lots of good stories from dad

Hounds running rabbit/hare is music to my ears and a great stress relief from my job.
Good hound work, long runs, and honestly, still being on the right side of the grass out in the timber listening to the hounds run is success to me.

Happy New Year to all.

Its good dog work for me i dont care if i kill a rabbit or not! i leave my gun in the truck about half the time.

In the off season I enjoy pleasure running and listening to the hound music, during the season rack em and stack em shoot em down, that's why I feed hounds all year round. Three generations went out hunting this past year as well and we did just that ...... Hunted and harvested. IMO No reason to buy a license to walk in the woods, just carry a stick. We also eat what we harvest, it's part of hunting. Don't have much respect for hunters who shoot to kill but don't eat any of the game. If ya don't care to shoot then don't but many of us still enjoy it, and enjoy eating it just as much. A good rabbit meal is far better than a piece of beef or chicken in my opinion.

After hunting for 5+ hours and cleaning and cutting up 6-12 rabbits then feeding the hounds it's a full day and a lot like work in a way. Your on your feet for a lot of hours, still something I'm glad I'm around to still enjoy especially with a 11yr old son who I can see that sparkle in his eye that I had at his age. That sparkle goes for when I say let's take the hounds for a run when it's not hunting season also, he enjoys the music too.

Oh yeah, I know my hounds know the difference between the off season and hunting season also, I think they enjoy a rabbit hunt a little more. Havnt actually asked them, I can just tell.

Patrick, I do also value hound work, I have the best hounds my money could buy. If one is out they better be able to account for it. I give the hounds every opportunity to run the rabbit and when the opportunity arises it's food for the table, then they better find another one. Some races are 10min some a hour and 10min depends on the day. Me personally I think more guys don't shoot them because it's easier to come home feed the hounds and throw dinner in the microwave and not have to deal with gutting and cleaning game. Our country is full of lazy people, not saying you are or anyone else, on a whole, plus most women today won't cook it let alone eat it, they want 3 bowls of salad at Olive Garden and a bowl of pasta, as always just my opinion.

There are days when conditions don't allow for good running so I don't use that for success. Success for me is if my dogs or myself learn something, I can't remember the last time this didn't happen. Some days I load my young dogs when I know humidity is low just to work on their handling.

No offense taken likemfast, and I agree with alot of the points you made. Just seems like so many people are disappointed if they don't kill a tailgate full each time out. Then they complain they have no rabbits to run in the off season. Don't have a problem if you are eating the rabbits, but if you let them go to waist then that's a problem. I was raised that you eat what you kill and don't waste! If you weren't going to eat it you don't shoot it! The only exceptions were snakes and predators. Like I said it don't bother me if you kill several as long as you eat them. I just enjoy the dogs more than I do the shooting anymore. Spending time outdoors with family and friends is priceless! Especially when you have 3 generations of family!

I knew you would understand what i meant Patrick, and i am very fortunate to have a lot of land to train and hunt on with no roads in sight with a very good population of rabbits and no competition from other beaglers either. I sometimes think im the only rabbit hunter left in PA. (Thats a good thing) 8 harvested is a great day for us, 2-5 is the norm, always a couple races that go well over the hour mark. Dads 72 now and as i said my son is 11 and ive let many go around me this year hoping dad or my son gets the shooting. Dont know how many more years dad will be able to go and i have to hone the young hunters shooting skills or the average could be a little higher.

Theres a hound you know of, Cryons Bo Diddley, was a National champ as you know in Canada, i gun hunted him for 2 years and he's a 10 on desire but he turns it up to a 11 in gun season. I prefer a hound that turns it up a notch in gun season, and not all of them do.

A successful day is when I bring all my dogs home. If there's a rabbit or two in the bag, that's good too. I subscribe to the Gene Hill theory that a day afield is a day that won't come again. It might be good dog work, the chance encounter with some thing new, a spectacular sunrise or sunset, or a day when every shot misses or rings true. It's a day filled with hope of a young dog or the last hunt of an old dog. Either way that day will never be repeated. Just enjoy it.

Larry

rabbitatfarm wrote:A successful day is when I bring all my dogs home. If there's a rabbit or two in the bag, that's good too. I subscribe to the Gene Hill theory that a day afield is a day that won't come again. It might be good dog work, the chance encounter with some thing new, a spectacular sunrise or sunset, or a day when every shot misses or rings true. It's a day filled with hope of a young dog or the last hunt of an old dog. Either way that day will never be repeated. Just enjoy it.

Larry

X2

This might sound stupid but I enjoy the dogs running buy I have to see the rabbit. If my dogs run a rabbit for an hour and he holes or they lose the track I see it as a failure. I hunt some pretty thick nasty areas. I've climbed trees and stood in old abandoned barns just to be able to see them.
What bothers me is when we go out and shoot some rabbits at the end of the day the guys I'm with don't want the rabbits. Now I don't mind cleaning and eating rabbits but if you don't want them don't shoot em. I've even offered to clean and vacuum pack them. Always get. No you can have them.

Save a cow, ........ eat more rabbit

I don t have any dogs now, hunting rabbits for 38 years . I just lost intes in going hunting.There s not one on here that love it like I did. The best pack of dogs I ever had was the last pack I had, no e collar on the dogs and never ran nothing but a rabbit. but there was one thing still not there. That jump dog. or a place full of rabbits. There not here anymore. I hear a pack of beagles run everyday. But to hear a pack of beagles running ,or looking at a jump dog looking at that rabbit getting up and a good circle coming back with that sound of a gun going off. Success.

This year I've noticed something that I haven't in the past. I really get pleasure in taking my boys hunting, along with some of my friends and their boys. The challenge of teaching them outdoor and hunting skills is very rewarding. During hunting season the running can be up and down, so I really enjoy the good runs. Success is measured in learning and taking something positive away from each hunt. I always tell my boys at the end of each hunt, as long as we had fun, we're safe and bring back the dogs and an occasional rabbit or two we had a success.

Success to me is spending time in the field with my dogs, Dad, and other friends.

If everyone comes home safe, that is important. Getting game is icing on the cake.

I keep a journal of all our hunts. It's always fun to look through and recall all the good times in the field!